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Hi, I’m a new mom, and I want to let you know about the bane of my existence: rashes.
My daughter’s first teeth appeared on her little cheeks when she was four months old. He keeps coming back every few months after cutting a few more teeth, so he keeps driving me bananas.
As if you and your poor baby aren’t going through enough: mouth swelling, fussiness, sleeplessness, and refusal to eat are hard to watch. Why not throw a bunch of ugly, annoying skin into the mix?
If your child wakes up with puffy cheeks or you see a red spot on the neck or chest when changing his clothes, you may have a rash on your hands. Read on to learn more about what causes this and how to fix it.
What Is Teething Rash?
Teething, also known as dribble to dribble to drool tops, is the result of the excessive drool your baby produces as they grow. It can be seen in two ways:
- Your baby’s cheeks, chin, and neck may swell due to an irritating enzyme found in drool. An article on healthline.com described the rash as “thin or slightly raised patches with small red bumps. Excess moisture irritates babies’ skin – it can get worse in some areas if your baby uses a pacifier, or has food on his face after eating. Sleeping on dirt-soaked sheets can also make the problem worse.”
- Wet clothing combined with friction can cause your baby’s neck and chest to break out and look different. Pediatrician Dr. Roy Benaroch explains, “neck rashes can look like cysts or yeast infections, and chest rashes can look like eczema.”
Teething can be accelerated by excessive rubbing and chewing of your baby to try to soothe themselves. Bacteria from these tiny hands can easily enter the cracks in the skin caused by friction and constant moisture.
Max is already a forced cheek and a rubber eye; it only gets worse as they get older. My husband and I used to joke about making a “straight jacket for the baby” to keep his hands from his mouth.
Both types of this rash can smell very bad. If the rash appears to be crying, sick, or seems to be hurting your child, you should call your child immediately.
It is important not to confuse dental lesions with eczema or skin lesions (pictures of the most common types can be found here). It’s not always easy to tell what kind of rash it might be, but if it’s time for your baby to start teething, then it’s your fault.
Once you’ve diagnosed these as cysts, there are a few things you can try at home before making a trip to the doctor.
How You Can Help:
First, you should try to prevent the rash from occurring. Healthline suggests that you “always have a soft cloth on hand to gently wipe away any stains. Always try to rub or squeeze the liquid with light pressure, and avoid rubbing.”
Dr. Tanya Altmann, best-selling author and pediatrician, advises in this article: “Always wash babies that don’t smell good. [during bath time]followed by an unscented moisturizer on dry skin.” Perfumes can be very irritating to your baby’s skin, so you should avoid fragrances and try switching your laundry detergent to something free and dye-free (changing Max’s detergent from Dreft to All Free & Clear really helped).
Keep a close eye on your baby – if you notice that his cheeks or any other area is wet, wipe away the saliva with a mild soap and warm water. You want to keep the skin as clean as possible – the article warns: “Sometimes the rash can become infected, which can cause the child to develop a bacterial infection that is indicated by honey or yellow spots on top of the rash and blisters.”
Keep Your Child Comfortable:
If your baby is drooling, the drool worm is one of the most annoying things your baby is dealing with right now. Try to be as comfortable as possible:
- Keep a set of extra clothes on hand and change wet clothes often (a good rule of thumb is to change clothes with every change).
- Give your child something cold (not frozen) to chew on, such as a wet washcloth or a teething ring that has been sitting in the refrigerator. This will not only get rid of the sores in their mouths but also on their cheeks.
- During the day, keep a bib on your cutie to catch more water and protect the chest. Change it as soon as it is wet.
- Place a towel or diaper under the sheet where your baby’s face will be when he sleeps.
Create a Moisture Barrier:
Along with keeping your baby’s skin clean and dry, you need to create a protective barrier so that the irritated areas can heal. There are many oils, lotions, and home remedies you can try:
- Dr. Altmann suggests: “Apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly or Aquaphor.” [to] protecting the skin and treating pain.” You may need to do this several times a day.
- If you’re like me and have a bunch of unused Lansinoh bottles lying around, now you have a job – in addition to being a nourishing moisturizer that soothes irritated skin, it’s safe for babies to drink. Apply to irritated areas as often as needed.
- Coconut oil is another great option: it’s anti-fungal and anti-microbial, so it will take care of any bacteria trying to get in. This is a great natural way to build a protective barrier and you won’t have to worry if your cutie swallows a little. Added bonus: your baby will smell great!
- Aloe Vera is recommended because it has been found to have healing properties. Mix a small drop of Aloe Vera or gel with the lotion and apply it at bedtime.
Be prepared: your baby will be a little greasy and/or clingy during this time. It feels good to watch your child become uncomfortable, though. If you are persistent and persistent in keeping something on your baby’s (white) skin, it should begin to heal in a few days.
It can be difficult to watch your child go through the painful process of teething. Along with extra hugs and pain relief, there are a few things you can do to ease your baby’s stress during this time. With proper care and attention, tooth rash can be prevented and easily treated at home.
However, if the rash shows signs of infection or does not appear after a week of following these steps, please consult your pediatrician. They may give you something a little stronger than what you can find over the counter.
And try not to worry – this won’t last forever. Before you know it, you’ll be laughing at old photos of your baby’s beautiful little red cheeks (I remember how shiny they were).